The foxtail is a popular summer plant that thrives particularly well in pots, but also on the balcony. But it needs the right care.
The foxtail is a popular summer plant that gets its name from the inflorescences that resemble foxtails. The annual summer plant with its beautiful flowers is also known by the botanical name Amaranthus or Amaranth. With the right care, this plant looks very good in the garden, in tubs, hanging baskets or balcony boxes.
Soil and Location
It is important when caring for the foxtail that it gets a sunny and wind-protected location. The soil must be permeable and get a lot of nutrients. You can use commercial fertilizer for this, but you can also use your own compost if you have one.
Watering and fertilizer
The good news, the foxtail is quite frugal when it comes to watering. Garden amaranth only needs an extra dose of water on particularly hot days. Potted plants need to be watered more often. You have to be a little more precise when it comes to the addition of nutrients, because the foxtail will not “survive” for long without it. As already mentioned above, compost is very suitable for fertilization. Liquid fertilizer can also be used, and is even the better choice from early summer. It is best to add a good portion of slow-release fertilizer to potted plants.
Cutting the fox tail?
This step is actually not necessary for the foxtail. However, if young plants are cut back a little, they become even bushier in the flowering phase. Otherwise, pinch off withered parts of the plant. Since the garden foxtail is an annual plant, it is simply torn out after the flowering phase and disposed of in the compost.
Foxtail doesn't tolerate cold
However, the foxtail is very sensitive to cold. Planting out in the garden or in the bucket is therefore only done at the end of May. If it is a mild spring, the time can also be brought forward.
Reproduce Foxtail
You can multiply the foxtail by sowing. However, high temperatures are required for the seeds to germinate. But be careful, some amaranth species are considered weeds and behave accordinglyindependently wide. The only thing that helps is to pull out perennial per perennial. These inflorescences don't belong in the compost!